Disney teams up with Cisco on entertainment innovation lab

June 26,2018 20:21

The StudioLab initiative is focused on using cutting-edge technologies to reimagine, design, and prototype the entertainment and production capabilities of the future. The Walt Disney Studios produces feature films from Disney, including Walt Disney ...and more »

Cisco has teamed up with Disney as a founding member and innovation partner for Disney StudioLab, a showcase for new technology. The idea is to fuse Silicon Valley and Hollywood.The Disney StudioLab will be a 3,500-square-feet space housed on The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. Cisco made the announcement at its first annual XR On the Bay conference, hosted by the Advanced Imaging Society at the Cisco corporate campus in San Jose, California.The StudioLab initiative is focused on using cutting-edge technologies to reimagine, design, and prototype the entertainment and production capabilities of the future. The Walt Disney Studios produces feature films from Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm. It also brings music and stage plays to consumers via The Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group. New tech is relevant to all of those Disney groups.“We aligned with the best-of-the-best technology companies to support our vision for StudioLab,” said Benjamin Havey, vice president of the technology innovation group at The Walt Disney Studios, in a statement. “Our goal is to jointly innovate and apply emerging technologies to build new entertainment experiences and media production capabilities.”StudioLab will feature Cisco hardware, software, and services spanning network, storage, orchestration, and collaboration. Initial areas of focus include enhancing the remote collaboration experience for creative people and providing more seamless and secure connectivity for filmmakers, the studio, and third parties.The lab will also work on more efficient and reliable ways to deliver production data from shooting locations to the cloud.“Cisco and Disney are helping to drive innovation in the entertainment industry, combining our expertise, skills, content, technology and passion,” said David Ward, chief technology officer at Cisco, in a statement. “This partnership is a game changer for the media industry, and we are excited for the opportunity to work closely with The Walt Disney Studios team to prototype, develop and showcase new technology at StudioLab. This will be the place where true innovation comes alive in media entertainment.”